


Family Dinner

by sanctuary_for_all



Series: John's Heart [2]
Category: Person of Interest (TV)
Genre: Established Relationship, F/M, Family, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-31
Updated: 2014-07-31
Packaged: 2018-02-11 03:39:36
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 755
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2052171
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sanctuary_for_all/pseuds/sanctuary_for_all
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Speaking of which, I keep meaning to ask if you want to stay for dinner.” She hesitated. “Tuesday’s pizza night, if that helps.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Family Dinner

They rode home together as often as possible, even when timing or circumstance meant that he couldn’t stay. John would slip into Joss’s car just as she was leaving the station, then slip back out when she went inside for the night. In between, they would have 10 to 20 minutes of precious, uninterrupted conversation.

“This thing between the Machine and Root sounds like a teenager with a girlfriend Dad doesn’t approve of.” Joss pulled her car into the slot, making no move to get out once she’d turned off the ignition. “It’s not great that it’s a homicidal girlfriend, but the more Harold tries to change its mind the more stubborn it’s gonna get.”

He smiled. He’d have to pass that image onto Harold at some point. “If that’s true, the Machine has terrible taste in women.”

Joss chuckled. John doubted he would ever get tired of the sound. “Happens to the best of us.” When he raised an eyebrow at her word choice, she shook her head in amusement and leaned across the seat to kiss him. “You know what I mean.”

“I do.” He closed his eyes a moment, letting the world narrow down to the feel of her lips against his. When it ended, he pulled back only far enough to lightly trace his fingertips along the curve of her cheek. Even now, he still couldn’t quite believe that he was allowed to be here, touching her like this. “Some would say it’s happening to you now.”

Joss smiled, leaning in for another, briefer kiss. “Not anyone who knows you.” She pulled back, tenderness sliding into brisk practicality. “Speaking of which, I keep meaning to ask if you want to stay for dinner.” She hesitated. “Tuesday’s pizza night, if that helps.”

John went absolutely still. “I thought Taylor was home.”

“He is. He’s got a Spanish test in the morning, and Taylor knows I’m smart enough to know that no actual studying gets done in those study groups.” She watched him, expression softening. “Don’t let that scare you, though. He won’t know how much help you could be unless you tell him.”

John studied every inflection of her face, sure he was somehow interpreting the offer incorrectly. It was only then that he recognized the uncertainty in her eyes, as if there was even a possibility he might want to say no.

He let out an unsteady breath. “I’d love to.”

000

It was odd, walking in through the front door without a gun in his hand. Joss kept a hand against his back, rubbing small, comforting circles whenever she felt him hesitate. “Taylor, I’m home!”

Her son thundered down the stairs, stopping a few steps from the bottom when he realized his mother wasn’t alone. “Everything okay, Mom?”

“Everything’s fine.” Joss smiled at Taylor, nudging John forward just a little. “I'm not sure the two of you were ever formally introduced, but this is John.” When her son nodded, her hand started rubbing again. “He’s gonna stay for dinner, if that’s okay.”

John could see the surprise in Taylor’s eyes, and Joss and her son looked at each other for a long, silent moment. Finally, the teen’s expression softened. “Yeah, that’s okay.” He turned back to John, holding out his hand. “It’s good to see you again.”

“You, too.” John shook his hand, relieved in a way that usually meant he’d just barely managed to escape death. “Thank you for letting me stay.”

Taylor smiled, as if he understood what John was really saying. “You don’t happen to be any good at Spanish, do you?”

The corners of John’s mouth curved upward. He’d spent a year in deep cover in South America, at one point. “I can manage.”

Taylor’s own smile widened. “Great. I’ll be right back.”

As the teen hurried back up the stairs, Joss stretched upward enough to press a kiss against John’s cheek. “Thank you,” she murmured, voice as warm as a touch.

He resisted the urge to close his eyes again. “There’s nothing to thank me for.”

Joss just smiled again, squeezing his shoulder. “We’re a supreme family. If you’ve got a problem with that, it’s best to speak up now.”

John shook his head, the pressure in his chest something deeper than the happiness he’d only lately come to recognize. “No problem.”

“Good.” Rubbing his back one more time, she slipped away and headed towards the kitchen and family’s collection of delivery menus. “Take off your jacket, John. Stay awhile.”

It sounded like “welcome home.”

**Author's Note:**

> Come check out my original short fiction on my [blog](http://jennifferwardell.blogspot.com) or say hi to me on [Tumblr](http://sanctuaryforalluniverses.tumblr.com)!


End file.
